Conducting educational research studies is a difficult and challenging experience for new researchers. The latter are challenged by the complexity of the new research experience because they are not adequately exposed. Moreover, they are challenged by the daunting options of research paradigms and research methodologies and methods. In several occasions, the latter is addressed as competing paradigms and thus against one another. This research paper is a modest attempt to address research methodologies in details. It will help novice researchers to select suitable research methodologies and methods as seen compatible with the positivist and interpretive paradigms. The paper will focus on explaining and clarifying the research procedure using present examples from physical education and sports study. Research design and method will be chosen to guarantee the gathering of data that is reliable and valid. Examples will be presented to help the novice researcher understand the statistical concepts and principles in details.
Introduction
Academic research is the systematic examination of a problem or situation. Moreover, it refers to the systematic procedure of discovery and progress of human knowledge. Various purposes exist for conducting academic research. Firstly, research helps to offer a solution to the present problem or situation. Secondly, it assists to address a new phenomenon or generate new knowledge or an integration of these two concepts. Thirdly, it assists to explore and analyze more general problems or situations. The research procedure is addressed to help the novice using the present examples from physical education and sports education.
Research Paradigm and Research Designs
Research paradigm is a school of thought where the scientific notions and practices are functional. In addition, it is a combination of values and beliefs shared by a scientific community for their research endeavors. Positivism and interpretivism paradigms are broadly used in educational research. The obvious characteristics that exist between the two paradigms are important in distinguishing them. Firstly, the feature of the position of scholar within the research procedure in the two paradigms. Positivist researchers claim that their findings are free from their values. However, interpretive researchers argue that the conveyance of ‘value-free’ research is impossible. The researcher is the primary measurement tool of the study in this paradigm (Palaiologou et al., 2015).
The nature of reality addresses the distinguishable characteristic between the two paradigms. The researcher embraces a positivist approach to claim that the reality is objective and applying methods of data collection allows them to access the actual reality. On the contrary, the researchers adopting an interpretive paradigm claim that reality cannot be free from the opinions of persons and defends that reality is subjective. This is because people including researchers are elements of the reality and entirely detachment from what is pursued is impossible in social sciences. Thirdly, instrumentation is the third aspect in both paradigms in educational research. In positivist approach, the methods are classified as quantitative because they prioritize quantifiable statistics and capacities. Positivists use methods embraced by natural scientists in their analytical perspectives. Case studies help in addressing the topic to the audience in alignment with research design and paradigms. For instance, the authors conducted a research on the impacts of a stretching protocol on performance and injury prevention. In the experiment, the researchers were focusing to evaluating a connection between the dependent variables of ‘athlete performance,’ ‘injury prevention,’ and ‘stretching’ (Weerapong et al., 2013).
Interpretivists apply qualitative methods in integration with the ontological and epistemological position for the examination. The research methods are often used because they do not require quantitative analysis. Reality and generalizability are the two problems that affect interpretivists because of lack of quantitative approach. Research paradigms form the foundation for determining the research design. Conducting surveys is a famous method in qualitative designs. They are used to addressing attitudes, trends, and opinions of a population. For instance, a survey was conducted to report US Olympic coaches’ opinions of factors affecting Olympic athlete performance. They requested 46 American Atlanta Olympic and 19 Nagano coaches to complete the survey. Results from the research indicated that fair and effective team selection, great levels of athlete performance and strong team chemistry influenced athlete performances according to the participant coaches (Gould et al., 2002).
Research paradigms and designs are closely associated when conducting experiments. Paradigm influences the manner in which knowledge is studied and interpreted. It is the option of the paradigm that establishes the motive, motivation, and anticipations for the research. Without choosing a paradigm as the initial phase, there is no basis for preceding options about methodology or research design. In some research pretexts, paradigms are addressed the introduction of the text alongside research design (Palaiologou et al., 2015).
There are specific research methods utilized in each paradigm. In the positivist paradigm, questionnaires and surveys are used to conduct research. They help to generate reliable data that can be reviewed by other researchers repeating the study. In the interpretive paradigm, qualitative methods help to decrease explanations to a restrained number of ‘causes.’
Methods
Data collection is the practice of collecting and measuring information on variables of interest, in a systematic way that allows a person to answer questions, test hypothesis and determine results. Validity and reliability are the two methodological issues that arise in collecting quantitative data. Various advantages are present in using surveys as a data collection methods. They are comparatively easy to administer and can be conducted remotely through the mail, email or mobile phone. (Armour " MacDonald, 2012). However, many disadvantages exist in using surveys as a method of conducting quantitative research. Respondents may not feel motivated to offer precise and honest answers. For instance, a survey of 243 Year 11 and 489 Year 7 pubertal girls was performed. It integrated a gauge of entire Physical Activity (PA) the extent and engagement frequencies in seven settings. The results of the study stated that less than 50% of the respondents met or surpassed the required degree of reasonable or extreme PA on the earlier day (Eime et al., 2013).
Qualitative research help in gathering non-numerical data through the use of various data collection methods. Credibility, rigor, and authenticity are the methodological issues in gathering the data. Field notes are advantageous because they offer a good ongoing record and can be used as a diary to provide continuity. The information is first-hand and can be reviewed at the convenience of the researcher. However, field notes are regarded as time-consuming to the researcher. Conducting interviews is the second data collection method in qualitative research. It is advantageous because it provides enough information that is first-hand. It is disadvantageous because the method is characterized by the possibility of biasedness of the interviewer. A real-life example of qualitative data collection methods was conducted during properly cared visits at the Boston Children’s Hospital Primary Care Center located in Longwood. The research was conducted between February and April 2015 to evaluate adolescent’s opinions on smartphone applications for health administration (Chan et al., 2017). Another case study was about six focus groups which were conducted with pubescent girls (n ¼ 49). The age groups ranged between 13 and 15 years old. The results of the study implied that the girls had different results for stopping to play sport particularly losing interest and limited time (Slater " Tiggemann, 2010).
Data Analysis
Thematic, discourse, and decomposition analysis are the methods of conducting qualitative data analysis. Particular information is considered when analyzing qualitative data. For example, Victoria identified six primary themes in the representation of lesbians and gay guardians on twenty-six talk shows. These themes were not necessarily the most predominant themes across the data set. They occurred between 2 and 22 of the total talk shows. They captured a significant element of the manner in which lesbians and gay men standardize their families in show debates. In this case, the thematic analysis of Victoria was facilitated by the specific analytic question (Braun " Clarke, 2006).
Notational analysis is the method of analyzing quantitative data, Case studies help the audience understand the concept of analyzing quantitative data. For example, the use of notational analysis was to evaluate whether there is an association between the pitch surface and the intervals of different pass shots in hockey (Hale " Wakefield, 2012).
Gaining entry into the research is a prolonged process in a real-life setting. Secondly, contacting and choosing participants is another factor to be considered when analyzing the data. Thirdly, the method of collecting data must be specified when collecting qualitative data. Interviews and observation are the predominant types of data collection qualitative research. Fourthly, the researcher needs to understand the approach to improve validity and decrease bias. Finally, it is important to understand the convenient time for the researcher to leave the venue of data collection (Armour et al., 2012).
Quality of Research
Reliability and validity are the two concepts that determine the quality of research. In qualitative research, triangulation strategy is used by researchers to ensure credibility, authenticity, and rigor. It is the use of various different methodologies such as interviews and observations to answer one query. For example, if the researcher use interviews he may be forced to make unwarranted conclusions
Inter-observer, test-retest and internal consistency are the strategies to guarantee validity, generalizability, and reliability in quantitative research. Case studies help in addressing the importance of validity and reliability to ensure the quality of quantitative research. For instance, in a sports event, a researcher may consider that the suitable measure is how many times a fan attends a match. The frequency of watching the match is the independent factor while any relationship with spending is the dependent factor. This is not a valid gauge of sports fan identification. The case study lacks reliability and it is critical to evaluate a method that is reliable and valid. A sports spectator identification scale is the suitable one because it meets the requirements of reliability and validity (Gratton " Jones, 2010).
Conclusion
Research procedure is important to address physical education and sports study. Research methods, data analysis and quality of research are addressed as well. Further research questions include when did you begin to engage in sports and what caused you to do so? Experimental design is the suitable one because it helps to address the causal relationship between the dependent and independent factors. The participants are the football fans and the players. Questionnaires are the appropriate method of data collection in this qualitative research project.
References
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Eime, R. M., Harvey, J. T., Sawyer, N. A., Craike, M. J., Symons, C. M., Polman, R. C., " Payne, W. R. (2013). Understanding the contexts of adolescent female participation in sport and physical activity. Research quarterly for exercise and sport, 84(2), 157-166.
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Hale, B., " Wakefield, A. (2012). Analysing quantitative data. In Research Methods in Physical Education and Youth Sport (1st ed., p. 376). London, Outside USA: Routledge.
Palaiologou, I., Needham, D., " Male, T. (Eds.). (2015). Doing research in education: Theory and practice. Sage.
Slater, A., " Tiggemann, M. (2010). “Uncool to do sport”: A focus group study of adolescent girls’ reasons for withdrawing from physical activity. Psychology of sport and exercise, 11(6), 619-626.
Weerapong, P., Hume, P. A., " Kolt, G. S. (2013). Stretching: mechanisms and benefits for sports performance and injury prevention. Physical Therapy Reviews, 9(4), 189-206.
